Vacuum cleaner



Dec. 29 1925- 1,567,432 F. ENGLISH VACUUM CLEANER Filed 001;. 7, 1922 Patented Dec. 1W5.

STATES UNIT 1,567,432 PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. ENGLISH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO BIR'IMAN ELECTRIC I COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

VACUUM CLEANER.

Application filed October 7, 1922. Serial No. 592,988.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. ENG- v LIsH, a citizen of the United States, residof which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in vacuum cleaner and is fully described and explained in thespecification and shownin the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1. is a view in side elevation, Fig. 2 is a frfw'mentar bottom' )lan view. and

n i t) 4 4 Fig. 3 is a fragr. entary vertical sectional view. i

As shown ,in the drawings, 10 indicates I in general the housing of a vacuum cleaner of common form supported by the ordinary two forward wheels 11 and the single back castor wheel 12. 18 indicates the elongated suction nozzle or mouth of the cleaner, which is also of the ordinary form. The slot-like opening in this nozzle or mouth is shown in bottom plan view in Fig. 2, as indicated by 13. The parts heretofore described constitute partsof a vacuum cleaner of common form;

20 indicates a tube,,substantially'the same length as the slot 13*, provided throughout its length with bristles 20 thus forming a long brush which may hereafter be referred to as the brush 20 21 indicates a similar tube somewhat shorter than the tube 20, arranged parallel thereto and spaced therefrom, which is likewise provided throughout its len h with bristles 21*, thus forming a brush W ich may hereafter be referred to as the brush 21. The two tubes, 20 and 21,

are spaced from each other. by a pair of straps 30. The tube 21 is pivotally mounted at its ends between two supports 22' attached to the rear side of the suction nozzle 13. .Said straps 30 offset the brush 20 a greater distance from'its axis of swinging movement than a directline to the surface to be cleaned so that said brush 20 as shown.

in dotted lines in Fig. I, cannot accidentally move or be moved to-itsinoperative position until the forward end of the vacuum cleaner has been raised.

The two tubes with the two straps 30 form a sufficiently rigid frame pivotally attached to the nozzle 13 at the ends of the tube 21. This frame may be pivoted .on'the ends of the tube 21' to swing the brushes into operative position or into inoperative position. In Fig. l, the brushes are shown in inoperative position in the solid lines and in operative position in the broken lines. It will be noted that when the brushes are in operative position, the brush 20 will be in advance of the nozzle 13 and parallel thereto, with the lower ends of the bristles projecting slightly below the lower edge of the nozzle, so they will engage the surface being cleaned. lVhen in this position, the brush 21 will be similarly arranged behind the -suction nozzle. When the brushes are swung into inoperative position, as indicated by the solid lines in Fig. 1, the brushes will be folded up under the slanting part of the nozzle, with the bristles pointing upwardly, where the brushes will be out of the way and will not engage with the surface being cleaned. 4

In order to hold the brushes yieldingly in operative position (see Fig. 3) the straps 30 are made of spring metal, and the ends near the tube 20 are bent upwardly and backwardly slightly (as viewed in Fig. 3, showing the brushes in operative position) as indicated by 30. \Vhen the brushes are swung into operative position, these parts 30 of the straps 3O spring over the lower forward edge of the nozzle 13 and then snap back slightly to clamp or clasp (the forward edge of the nozzle 13 sloping backward) thus yieldingly holding the brushes in operative position. Each of the straps 30 is also provided with an upwardly rounded part 30 adapted to enter the slot 13 when the brushes are swung into operative position.

A spiral spring is provided on one end of the tube 21 for the purpose of yieldingly holding the brushes in inoperative position. The snapping or looking effect of the parts 30 of the straps 30 is, however, sullicieiitly strong to overcome the resistance of the spiral spring 60, so that the brushes will claims, in which it is my intention to claim 2. In combination with all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible in .view of the prior art.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with a vacuum cleaner having a suction nozzle, a plurality of spaced apart brushes disposed in the front and rear-of the said nozzle when in operative relation thereto, a brush carrying frame carried by the nozzle exteriorly thereof in either operative or inoperative relation therewith, means carried by said frame and engaging the nozzle to prevent accidental swinging movement of said frame from operative position, and means carried by the frame to prevent its accidental swinging from inoperative position,

a suction nozzle, a brush exteriorly of the nozzle to engage the surface to be cleaned, means exteriorly of the nozzle connecting the brush to the nozzle for movement while connected to the nozzle to an operative position and to an inoperative pos1t1on, said means belng engageable with the mner and outer Walls of the nozzle to operatively position the brush,-

and means tomaintain the brush against accidental displacement from inoperative position.

3. In combination with a suction nozzle of avacuum cleaner or the like, a brush, brush mounting means pivotally connected to the exterior of the nozzle and adapted to engage the surface to be cleaned, means urging said brush to an inoperative position, and means carried by said brush-mounting means disposed across the nozzle of'fsetting the sweeping surface of the brush from it axis of swinging movement a greater distance than the direct vertical distance between said axis and the surface to be cleaned.

4. In combination with a suction nozzle, a brush located exteriorly of the nozzle and pivotally connected thereto and adapted to engage the surface to be cleaned, means in operative position interiorly and exteriorly engaging the Wall of the nozzle and, offsetting the sweeping surface of said brush from its axis of swinging movement a greater dis tance than the direct vertical distance between said axis and said surface, and means to maintain the brush against accidental displacement from inoperative position.

5. In combination with a nozzle, a brush..- pivoted thereto and operative at the rear.

thereof, a brush operative at the front of the nozzle, means joining said brushes and brush to a position rearwardly of the nozzle. 7

6. In combination with a suction nozzle of a vacuum cleaner or the like, brushes adapted for engagement with the surface to be cleaned disposed on opposite sides of the nozzle and connected thereto for unitary movement to an operative position and to an inoperative position, said brushes being invertible through said movement from one positioni to the other position, straps spanning said brushes, said straps being con structed for clamp engagement with the inner and outer surfaces of the wall of the nozzle and for application thereto in the direction of suction, and means to maintain said brushes in the inoperative position.

7. In combination with a vacuum cleaner having an elongated suction nozzle, a frame carrying a pair of brushes exteriorly of the nozzle, means pivotally connecting said frame to the cleaner so that the brushes may be moved unita-rily with the frame and simultaneously in the same direction from operative position with one in front of and one behind the nozzle, and both in engagement with the surface being cleaned, into inoperative position with both behind the nozzle and out of engagement with the surface being cleaned, and means to maintain the frame and brushes in inoperative position.

Witness my hand this 5th day of October, 1922.

FREDERICK A. ENGLISH. 

